Body:
Geelong 4.2 7.8 11.14 17.16 (118)
Werribee 3.1 7.4 9.5 10.6 (66)
Geelong
Goals: Loats 4, Spriggs 3, Thurley 2, McCarthy 2, Chambers, Enright, S.Johnson, Lonergan, Smith, S.Byrnes.
Best: Enright, Rahilly, J.Byrne, Loats, Lonergan, Spriggs, McCarthy, Mackie.
Werribee
Goals: Mitchell 3, Gilbee 2, Cross, Henderson, Murphy, Skipper, Walsh.
Best: Cross, Murphy, Morris, Croft, Kretiuk, Street.
What started off a really good game of footy turned into a real fizzer at Skilled Stadium on Saturday. The out of form Werribee Tigers headed down the highway to meet the Cats, and after a solid first half they faded away after half time to lose by 52 points, much like the Western Bulldogs did yesterday.
Corey Enright started like a house on fire for the Cats, and his hard work didn’t stop until the end of the game. He finished with 36 possessions, but surprisingly missed out on the Damian Drum Medal, awarded by K-Rock for the best player on the ground. That award went to Geelong captain James Byrne. Enright’s opponent Tim Walsh performed so poorly defesively that it was surprising that Werribee coach Barry Prendergast allowed him to stay playing across half forward until halfway through the last quarter. Geelong’s coaches must have been laughing at the match up, which was clearly Geelong’s most effective as early as ten minutes into the match. Walsh should have gone to the goalsquare or come off the ground, as Enright repeatedly played in front of Walsh, marked and dashed off the back flank.
If that match up wasn’t surprising enough, you can only throw your hands in the air and ask why James Allan (171cm) and Cameron Wight (200cm) were running with each other for a short period.
There was nothing wrong with either sides effort in the first half, although Werribee played some frustrating footy at times as their midfielders got back and crowded Geelong’s forward 50 but struggled to clear that zone as they blindly banged it out of defence. David Mitchell kicked the first goal of the game for the Bees, being manned up by in form player Matthew Egan. Steve Johnson kicked Geelong’s first and Wayde Skipper quickly replied for the Bees. Skipper was being manned up by Tom Lonergan, who the Cats seem to be developing into a defender. Lonergan was one of the Cats best defenders for the day. David Spriggs kicked a great goal from the boundary, and Daniel Cross goaled for Werribee. Daniel Cross continues to rack up a ton of possessions at this level, although his use of the footy let him down on Saturday. Peter Street opened the ruck for the Tigers, up against David Loats, but Loats floated forward in the latter stages of the first term and kicked two important goals to give the Cats the upper hand at quarter time.
Gilbee kicked a roving goal and Walsh goaled from a free kick early in the second quarter to give the Tigers the lead. Wayde Skipper got lost in defence, running around in a circle and then taking a bounce to be penalised in front of the Cats goal. Cameron Thurley put through a set shot from a tight angle, although he was well held during most of the game by Dale Morris, who continues to establish himself as a reliable defender at VFL level. The Cats took a four point lead into half time.
Geelong just came out running far better in the second half. Too many loose players were running through the midfield such as Rahilly, Burns, Spriggs and Mackie. Western Bulldog Matthew Croft did well when he went onto David Loats who played most of the game in the forward line, leaving Mark Blake, Paul Chambers and Jeff Smith to take the ruck duties. Jeff Smith looks a chance for the Victorian state side, but he came off the bench yesterday and was probably the Cats third or fourth ruckman. I’m not sure whether he should be picked for the state squad. Will be interesting to see what the selectors do.
The last quarter just got worse for the Tigers, as Geelong kicked six goals to one to run out winners by 52 points. The Tigers lost Steve Kretiuk, David Mitchell and Cameron Wight to injury, hopefully nothing too serous as they need everyone available for Tasmania next week. Geelong play top side Port Melbourne in a curtain raiser at Skilled.
Daniel Cross and Brad Murphy were the Tigers major ball winners through the midfield and were deserving of being named in the Tigers best, with Morris, Croft and Kretiuk doing well in the backline.
Enright, Rahilly and Byrne were very all good for the Cats.